


Battle Brat

by rosesofred



Category: Alita: Battle Angel (2019), GUNNM | Battle Angel Alita
Genre: Adoption, Alita - Freeform, Alita Battle Angel, Alita: Battle Angel - Freeform, Battle Angel, Battle Angel Alita - Freeform, Brat, Bratting, Corporal Punishment, Daisuke Ido, Discipline, Domestic Discipline, Domestic Fluff, Father Figure, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gunnm, Ido - Freeform, Parental Love, Sneaking Out, Spanking, Time Out, alita is a brat, but a lovable brat, hunter-warrior, ido needs more patience, she tries her best ok, surrogate father, time outs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-06 16:55:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18392495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesofred/pseuds/rosesofred
Summary: Ido kind of adopts Alita and they agree there has to be a discipline system in the house since Alita has no idea how to human. Ido teaches her how to be a safe, responsible human-cyborg, complete with drinking tea, fluff, and plenty of uncomfortable conversations.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ido doesn't really like the idea any more than Alita does, but she can't keep running off into the night and fighting bad guys. It's time for a drastic change but it takes some getting use to for both of them. No spanking or discipline in this chapter, just them talking about it and figuring things out. I apologize if there are gramatical errors, my health is at an all time low and it's hard to focus. Please enjoy and leave comments if you liked it!

       It started out with Alita coming home late one night after Ido had made it clear he didn't want her out past dark. "What's the big deal?" She'd argued.

 

       He'd given her a firm look and lecture that she seemed to ignore, but he was happy to see her home and safe so he let it slide. Unfortunately, her disregard for her own safety became very clear when she'd followed him out tonight and they found themselves caught in a dangerous fight with homicidal cyborgs. If he hadn't been so focused on fighting for his life and hers, he would have put her over his knee right then and there, he was so furious with her. She'd fought like a warrior, like nothing he'd ever seen, but regardless of her fighting capabilities, she'd still put herself in danger by disobeying him.

 

       Their walk back was silent, neither wanting to say anything until they were back in the safety of the good doctor's home. Ido felt his jaw tensing every time he thought of that moment when he'd seen her beside him, the fear he'd felt at thinking she was going to die at the hands of those cyborgs. "Sit down Alita." His command was short and sharp but he tried to keep his voice from sounding too angry.

 

       Alita shot him a wary look but complied, sliding herself quietly up onto the exam table in the clinic. "You seem angry."

 

       "Of course I'm-" Ido turned away and closed his eyes, his temper flaring a bit. He needed to keep a level head if he was going to deal with this but the fact that she seemed completely unaware of her action's consequences made the father in him furious. He just wanted to protect her, keep her away from the outside world that would tear her apart and sell the pieces for money, but he couldn't do that if he lost his temper and did or said something he'd regret. He turned back to her, his tone softer. "Alita, you must be more careful."

 

       “Why? Didn't you see me fight? I was strong enough to take them."

 

       "That's not the point. What if you hadn't been stronger than those cyborgs? They would have killed you."

 

       "But they didn't!" Alita's voice went up slightly, frustration clear in the way she scrunched her face at him. What was his problem? He was acting like she was some helpless human kid, completely incapable of caring for herself.

 

       Ido gave a heavy sigh and ran his hand over his face. "Are you hurt anywhere? Any cracks or breaks?" He looked over her briefly, examining her closely for any signs of breakage.

 

       "Nothing hurts, I'm just tired."

 

       Seeing nothing that needed tending to besides a few chips here and there on her body, Ido decided to wrap up the brief exam. "Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up shortly so we can have a talk."

 

       Alita slid off the table, her steps a little heavier than normal as she marched upstairs. It made her mad that Ido was acting like she couldn't fight. So what if she hadn't known she could fight before she ran after him? He wasn't her father, he didn't have any control over her. If she wanted to go out at night she had every right to!

 

       When she got to her room, Alita slammed the door with a little more force than she meant to but felt satisfied regardless. She looked around for something to punch or tear up but couldn't find anything so instead ran up to the wall and gave it a kick. "Oh, shit." Alita let her head drop back and groaned, hating her own power. Of course her kicking the wall would leave a hole in it, she was a cyborg not a human.

 

       Downstairs, Ido couldn't help but feel concerned at hearing a loud thud followed by a muffled groan. He was sure his young charge was probably throwing a small temper tantrum at having been scolded, as his own daughter had done so on numerous occasions. He found it was best to let young ones unleash their pent up anger, let them shout a bit, and only step in if it escalated or they began breaking things. He didn't hear much else as he changed out of his hunter clothes and into more comfortable attire, so he took the time to clean up a bit and make some tea.

 

       After a good half an hour had passed since they got home, Ido made his way upstairs with two cups of tea, knocking gently on Alita's door with his knuckle. "What?" she shouted from the other side.

 

       "Can you open the door?" He waited patiently as she took her time moving off the bed and getting to the door, finally opening it and standing in the doorway. "I brought you some tea, it will help."

 

       She stared at him for a long moment before taking the mug he offered, stepping aside to let him in. As he walked in he got a sense of deja vu, having had very similar discussions with his own daughter before in this very room. He took a seat on the wooden chair on the side of her room blowing gently on the mug in his hand.

 

       "Make sure to blow on it before you drink, it's very hot."

 

       Alita rolled her eyes but blew on it for a second, taking a sip quickly after and making a pained face when it burned her tongue. "It's hot!"

 

       "You should listen to me more often, it would save you a lot of a pain you know."

 

       Alita slammed her mug down on the dresser beside her and folded her arms in front of her. "What did you want to talk about?"  


       Ido felt his mouth pull momentarily and gave a small sigh. He had to discuss this with her or she could end up in pieces out on a street corner and it was his responsibility to keep her safe. He had accepted that responsibility when he'd decided to take her in and  there was no use denying his duty now if he wanted to keep her alive. "We must discuss your reckless behavior tonight."

 

       "It wasn't reckless! I was just defending myself, and you!"

 

       "Yes but you wouldn't have had to defend yourself if you'd listened to me in the first place and stayed inside."

 

       "You're not my father, I don't have to listen to you," she mumbled.

 

       "What did you say?" Ido set his mug down on the small table beside him.

 

       "I said you're not my father. I don't see why I should have to listen to you."  


       "You're right, I am not your father and you're not my daughter. But I care for you Alita, I want to see you safe and in all one piece."

 

       "I can defend myself, I don't need you to care about me Ido." Alita started pacing back and forth, her nerves shot from the recent battle and late hour.

 

       "I feel it is my responsibility, seeing as I took you in. I need you to listen to me if you are to stay here, Alita." This was it, this was the point he needed to make. If she accepted, he could have order in his house and maybe keep Alita safe and healthy, but if she refused he could risk losing her. He wanted her to accept his proposal, because if she didn't he would have no choice but to let her leave and risk her life out in the iron city. He really hoped she would see how much he cared about her and realize he was only doing any of this for her. Not because he wanted to, he never wanted to, but because he had to. No parent ever wants to punish their child or charge, but eventually they must if they want to keep their loved one alive and well.

 

       "What, so you're saying that I have to do what you say or I’m out?"

 

       "Not exactly, no. But if you find what I'm about to offer too uncomfortable, something you don't think you want, you are free to leave."

 

       "So what, then? What is it?" Alita stopped pacing and faced him now, closer than she was before.

 

       Ido sat up, placing his hands on his knees. "If you want to stay here with me, there will be rules. I understand that sometimes circumstances prevent rules from being followed, but if you intentionally break any , there will be consequences."

 

       "Like what?"

 

       Ido cleared his throat, surprised and relieved that she would at least hear more about this before immediately rejecting it. "Well, for tonight I would ground you."

 

       "Ground me? What is that?" Her face changed to one of puzzlement and she sat down on the bed, facing him.

 

       "It would mean you can't leave the house for a while, or that you'll have things taken away until the grounding is over."

 

       "How long does a grounding last?"

 

       Ido actually had to think about it now that it was really happening. With his daughter he would usually ground her for a week if it wasn't a very serious punishment. What Alita had done was incredibly dangerous and outright defiant, but it was also obviously her first time ever being punished, so he would have to go easy on her. "Let's say three days for this particular offense."

 

       "And after three days?"

 

       "After three days, your grounding is lifted, you are forgiven and we move on."

 

       Alita couldn't wrap her head around the idea of being punished and forgiven. Was that common, to just be forgiven after paying some sort of penance? It felt almost like a weird type of currency to her, like you pay a certain amount to receive forgiveness and therefore relief of guilt. Except she didn't feel guilty about tonight, and she remembered that she was suppose to mad right now. "Forgiven for what? I haven't done anything wrong." She crossed her arms again and scowled.

 

       The doctor sighed, seeing the defiance return to her soft features. Punishing a cyborg with no memory or history of discipline would be a challenge in itself, but convincing one that letting him care for her was the best option would be the true test. "You may not see it that way at the time, but that's part of what punishment is for. Building character, teaching lessons."

 

       There was a long silence between them before the cyborg laid back on her bed with a grunt. "So if I want to stay here, I have to agree to this?"

       "I'm afraid so, yes."

 

       Alita sat up again and fixed him with a look. "IF I agree, I have my own condition."

 

       "Of course."

 

       "I get chocolate for dinner from now on."

 

       Ido chuckled a bit and picked up his tea again. "How about I give you chocolate as a reward? For when you've been good."

 

       "When I've been good? Like for not breaking a rule?"

 

       "For doing as you're told."

 

       Alita scoffed but actually considered it. "And I'd get to stay here, and you'd give me food and clothes and chocolate?"

 

       "Absolutely. I'll care for you like my own." Ido felt a tinge of happiness in seeing her genuine interest. Maybe this really would work between the two of them, him the cyberphysician, her the reckless cyborg. "Although I should explain the other punishments."

 

       "There's more?" she looked surprised at the idea of having more consequences than just being grounded.

       "Depending on the severity of the offense, yes. I may never have to use any of these, but you deserve to know they’re a possibility."

 

       "So what are they?" she leaned forward and moved around so her elbows were on her knees, her head in her hands.

 

       "Let's see. Grounding of course, perhaps some extra chores around the house like cleaning. I might have you work in the clinic with me or run errands. Then there's time outs, mouth soaping... I might have you write lines or give you an early bed time. Then lastly there's, well, spanking." He looked uncomfortable as he said the last one, but only because he hated doing it. If Ido could go his whole life without having to spank someone he loved, he would. But if it meant keeping them out of danger, he certainly would without hesitation.

 

       "Wow, that's a lot to take in. Is mouth soaping as awful as it sounds?" Ido nodded sympathetically. "And line writing? That's just writing a lot of lines?"

 

       "To get the message across, yes, I'll have you write a certain line over again until the message sticks."

 

       “And what’s a time out?”

 

       “A time out is when I tell you to stand or sit somewhere, usually to give you time to think about what you’ve done.”

 

       "So what happens if I don’t?"

 

       "Well, that would warrant a punishment, though it would be rather small considering. I'd probably just scold you."

 

       "Scold?"

 

       "I'd lecture you."

 

       "Oh so like you are now?"

 

       Ido gave her a tight smile. "I suppose."

 

       "What's spanking?" Alita readjusted again, getting up this time to get her tea and come back to sit on the edge of the bed.

 

       The doctor froze momentarily, realizing that she had probably never been spanked before in her life. How would he explain this to her? He crossed his legs and cleared his throat, taking a sip of the tea again. "I would only use that for serious offenses, ones where you are in serious danger, or possibly if you repeatedly break rules. But spanking is very harsh, and... physical. Normally, if I were to punish you that way, I'd have you lie over my lap and then I'd-" Ido looked over to see Alita's eyes bulging out, a look he couldn't quite recognize on her face. "Well I'd smack your backside until you were repentant."

 

       There was a long pause before Alita finally spoke. "What? I'm not doing that!" She got up on her feet and stood there, staring at him like he was crazy.

 

       "I'm not particularly keen on it myself."

 

       "Then don't do it!" she spilled some tea as she moved her arms but she couldn't care less right now.

 

       "Don't give me a reason to." He set his jaw, determined to stay resolute.

 

       "I'm not agreeing to that, it's ridiculous." Her face changed into one of a stubborn child, a look Ido was all too familiar with.

 

       "I'm sorry you don't like it but it's part of the deal Alita. I would very much like it if you stayed here with me, where I can keep you safe. But if you really can't consent to these terms, you are free to leave." He really hoped she wouldn't, but he held his ground regardless.

 

       She paced back and forth for a few silent minutes, her brow furrowed and mouth held tight in thought. She slammed her mug down on the dresser again, turning to face Ido once more, hands on her hips. "Fine."  


       "You agree to this? To follow the rules and accept the consequences?" Ido put his mug aside too, having finished the last of the tea.

 

       Looking him in the eyes, Alita took a deep breath before mumbling a somewhat reluctant, "Yes."  


       Ido got up from his seat and took a few short steps towards her, scooping her into a hug. "It will be ok, Alita." She visibly relaxed in his embrace, slowly raising her arms to return the gesture. "You should get some rest now, it's very late."

 

       Alita rolled her eyes and smiled, happy to finally have that whole awful conversation behind them. "Fine, I'll go to bed. Goodnight, Ido."

 

       Ido kissed the top of her forehead and gave her a warm smile. "I could tuck you in if you'd like." She looked at him confusedly. "Come on, I'll show you." He had her get on the bed and crawl under the sheets, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. Taking the top of the blanket, he laid it just below her neck, tucking it in around her. "Good night my angel." He put a warm hand on her shoulder before giving her one last forehead kiss, smiling at her warmly. He felt so happy inside to know she was safe, warm, and neatly tucked into bed. She was his to care for now and he would not let her down.

 

       Alita smiled back at him, mumbling a sleepy “Goodnight.” He felt like a father again, like a proud father in fact. Even if he was angry with her for disobeying him, he was very impressed with her amazing fighting skill. He was proud to say the least. But she didn't need to know that, not while she was in trouble for being reckless. He stood up and gathered the empty mugs, turning out the light as he went and shutting the door gently behind him. He smiled to himself all the way down to the kitchen until he remembered that tomorrow was Alita's first day of being grounded and that he would have to enforce it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alita doesn't handle being grounded very well and Ido has to put his foot down to show her there are consequences. Unfortunately neither of them know how to handle this very well.

   They barely got through the first day without fighting, but that was mostly due to Ido's learned patience and ability to distract Alita with activities like sweeping the clinic and doing the dishes. But he was running out of things to have her do, since she completed tasks so much faster than a normal person could. "This is pointless," she'd complained, but a sharp look from Ido made her bite her tongue before she said something more she'd regret.

 

   It was the second day that she really started feeling restless, he could tell with the way she moved around the house. Every movement was tense, like she was barely holding onto a dwindling facade of calm. He made the mistake of leaving her alone for too long when he'd run out of tasks to give her and told her to go read a book from his extensive library. He'd thought it was too peaceful and quiet so he went to check on her and found the library empty. "Alita?" he called.

 

   The sound of the front door being closed gave her away, but instead of running to catch her, Ido set out with a heavy step and angry scowl. When he got to the front door he opened it to find her just standing there facing the street, basking in the sunlight and smiling.

 

   "Alita!" she jumped at his voice, spinning around to face him. "Get inside. Now."

 

   "Why?" she gave him an innocent look, her eyes soft.

 

   "You know you're grounded, you're not allowed out of the house right now." He reached for her arm but she stepped back, a look of defiance quickly replacing her puppy-dog eyes.

 

   "I hate being inside, Ido! I want to be outside!"

 

   Ido grabbed her by the upper arm, his grip firm but not harsh. "Then you should have thought of that before sneaking out at night to follow me." He tried to pull her in but she resisted, yanking backwards.

 

   "That's not fair! I was inside all day yesterday, why can't I go outside today? I want to play motorball, and go see Hugo!"

 

   "You can do that in two days when your grounding is over." Ido held up a finger, scolding her. "Now go inside Alita."

 

   "Or what?" She moved closer to him now, looking up at him like it was a challenge.

 

   Ido had to think quickly but decided fast that he needed to show her there were consequences for her actions. "Or I will put you in time out." Her mouth snapped shut and she glared at him, standing in place for a long time. "Come on Alita." He pulled on her arm again but found that she was planted firmly in place, unwilling to move. He gave a quiet sigh and reached in his pocket, looking at her disappointedly. "I really didn't want to do this." Reaching forward, he quickly attached something to the back of her neck, faster than she had time to realize what he was doing.

 

   In the next moment, Ido pulled her inside, shocking Alita at his sudden strength. She grabbed his arm with her free hand and tried to rip free but found she really couldn't. "What did you do!?" Ido dragged her inside, a grim look on his face as he did so. He didn't respond, but instead pulled her along behind him until they reached the living room where he stopped and placed her in front of the corner of the room.

 

   "You will stand here until I tell you." Letting go of her arm, Ido patted her back before turning to leave.

 

   Alita, after getting over the initial shock of being dragged inside and suddenly put in 'time out,' stomped her foot as hard as she could, not even making a dent. That crazy doctor had definitely done something to her strength and she was furious. "No!" She stomped across the living room, heading towards the stairs before Ido grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, spinning her around and back into the corner. "Let go of me!" She pushed his hand away and glared at him, but he only gave her a raised eyebrow in return.

 

   "You didn't listen to me, so now you're going to stand in the corner until I tell you you can leave."

 

   "I'm not doing that," Alita growled.

 

   "Yes, you are." Ido towered over her, puffing himself up a bit on instinct.

 

   Alita dashed past him suddenly, running towards the door only to be stopped once again by the clearly insane doctor. He led her back by the scruff of her neck, though this time he grabbed a wooden backed chair from the side and placed it in the corner. Maneuvering Alita aside, he sat her down in the chair facing the corner. "How is that? Now you have to sit in time out. And I will set a timer so we both know when your punishment is over."

 

   "Fine." She folded her arms across her chest, slumping in the chair as she did so.

 

   Ido was a bit surprised that it finally worked but he gave a little nod and accepted the small victory for what it was. He went into the kitchen to get the egg timer, deciding to set it for 20 minutes. That should be enough time for her to cool down and think about why she's being punished. Returning to the living room, Ido looked up to see the chair empty and his head whipped to the direction of the door, seeing it open and Alita gone. This time he did run, catching up just in time to yank the stubborn girl from the middle of the street and slamming the door shut, locking it this time.

 

   Alita tugged away from him, but he kept her there, his grip strong enough to keep her in place. Ido pulled her in front of him, turning her so she was sideways and landed a firm, strong swat on the seat of her pants. She yelped in surprise and immediately tears sprang to her eyes. "You hit me!" Ido's expression softened when he saw the look on her face and he let go of her arm as she backed away.

 

   He took a step forward, trying to sooth her and explain that he had swatted her, but she was too hysterical to be calmed down. "I didn't hit you, I-"

 

   "Don't touch me!" She shouted at him, full tears falling down her face now as she continued to back away. Reaching the corner, she grabbed the chair and held it in front of her as protection.

 

   "Alita, please put down the chair." The good doctor held his hands up placatingly, but she wouldn't be consoled.

 

   "NO! I'm not sitting in time out!" With one anger-filled motion she smashed the chair on the floor, throwing the pieces across the room as Ido stepped out of the way. She yelled in frustration, knocking things over and grabbing a small end table to break before the man stepped in.

 

   "Stop it Alita, you need to calm down."

 

   "Go away!" She shoved the end table onto him, pushing him backwards into the bookshelf. Thankfully it didn't tip over but she stepped backwards, the tears coming fully now and spilling over. Her shoulders shook and she held her hands up to her eyes, crying into them. "I'm sorry," she sobbed.

 

   Ido's heart ached seeing her cry, knowing that he'd upset her that much by swatting her. He should have told her he was going to do it so she didn't react the way she had; he had done it just in the moment to get her to stop throwing a tantrum. But in doing so he'd caused her to fully lose control and throw an even bigger tantrum, completely the opposite of what he wanted. "Alita?" He cautiously moved towards her, his hands out in a soothing gesture. When she didn't move back or react, he walked closer until he was right next to her and gathered her into a warm hug. His hand rested against the back of her head as she cried into his shoulder.

 

   "Why did you hit me?" Her voice was small now, again pulling on his heart strings at the knowledge that it was him who made her cry this way.

 

   "I am so sorry angel, I never meant to hurt you." He kissed the top of her head to prove his point. "I only meant to swat you for being defiant but I should have spoken to you first." Reaching down, he removed the device he’d put on her neck, her body reacting in a quick shutter once it was off. “No need for this now.”

 

   “Thank you.” Her voice was still small but he could hear how relieved she felt. He wasn’t going to make her sit in a time out now that everything had calmed down. What she really needed now was to rest and collect herself, that was far more important at the moment. She broke away from the hug suddenly, wiping furiously at her eyes. “I’ll clean this up, I’m sorry for breaking your furniture.”

 

   “That can wait, right now you need rest.”

  


   “But-” one look from Ido and Alita stopped short, instead lowering her head, her shoulders slumping. “Ok.”

  


   “Why don’t you go up to your room? I’ll be up with some tea.”

 

   Alita’s eyes lit up as she smiled. “And some chocolate?”

  


   Ido gave her an incredulous look and guided her towards the stairs with a hand on her back. “Not today my dear.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I tried to listen to everyone's opinions on their relationship and how he should go easy on her, but also how she had a good point about the cyborg fight. I did my best, please don't hate me for this but Alita does get a spanking in this chapter, she is a brat after all. But we all love her and Ido does too, he's just doing his best to keep her safe, please don't be mad at him.

   Alita finished the last day of her grounding on her best behavior and didn’t try even once to escape when Ido wasn’t looking. So he lifted her grounding on the morning of the fourth day, making her eat an orange before she left since she wouldn’t stay for breakfast. She'd spent most of the day playing motorball, and the rest just wandering the city, but she was careful to return before sundown just as Ido had asked. He’d been so proud of her that he gave her a chocolate bar when she got home, remembering how much she loved it.

   He’d made sure to stock up on chocolate when he got the chance, hiding the stash in his bedroom closet so she wouldn’t stumble onto it. Rewarding her with chocolate seemed to work wonders, and she was perfectly behaved for a short while, even helping him in the clinic when she had the time, and very rarely argued with him. They even had a long discussion over dinner one night about what happened that night with the cyborgs, about how impressed he was with her fighting skill but also how concerned he’d been about her. She still didn’t agree with his reasoning but he’d at least gotten his point across that he wanted to keep her safe, and she’d brought up how he would’ve been dead without her.

   They’d agreed upon a system, something they could both follow at least for the time being. Ido would tell her exactly who he was hunting before he left, or he’d write it on the board in the kitchen so she would know if he was gone. Because she was right, if he was outnumbered and in danger, he would need backup. So if he wasn’t back by the time he said he’d be, he’d given her full permission to leave the house and come after him to fight. Neither of them wanted to see the other one come to any harm, and this way they could both rest easy knowing the other was safe.

   On top of their agreed system, Ido made up a list of rules she was to follow and put them on the kitchen board so only they could see it and she'd followed them all very easily. That was, until she asked Ido to be a hunter warrior like him when they were out on a walk one night. He'd told her absolutely not, that it was dangerous, and she argued that a life or death situation would help her remember who she was.

   The idea put him on edge, thinking of Alita running around risking her life just for an adrenaline rush that might help jog her memory. He'd adamantly refused but she was stubborn about it and wouldn't let it go. Finally, when she realized he wasn't going to agree, she'd run off in the night to god-knows-where and he spent the better part of the night trying to find her.

   Alita finally slipped through the front door at two in the morning, trying her best to be quiet so she wouldn’t have to face the overprotective doctor. She was able to get the rusty old gate open without making it creak and tiptoed through the living room quietly. "Oh thank god you're safe." She jumped suddenly at hearing his voice but didn’t back away when Ido came running out of the kitchen and gathered her into a brief hug. He held her closely for a moment but cut it short when he remembered he was upset with her, holding her out at arm's length to look her over. "Are you hurt? Did you run into anyone?"

   "I'm fine, Ido."

   Within the span of two seconds the doctor’s mood went from worried parent to very pissed off guardian and he gave her a stern look. "What in the world were you doing out so late? I looked everywhere for you."

   "I was having fun," she replied hotly. He let go of her shoulders and crossed his arms in his best disapproving dad look. "It's something you can do you know,” she added sarcastically.

   His look darkened at her rude comment and he pointed towards the end of the living room. "Alita, go to the corner."

   "Wha-wait, we can't even talk about this first?" She felt heat beginning to rise at the realization that Ido might punish her for running off and staying out late. But who was he to tell her what to do? She lived by her rules, not his!

   "You had your chance to talk, now go stand in the corner."

   "That's not fair!" She made no move to do as he'd asked, instead setting her jaw and glaring up at him defiantly.

   "Fine, if you want to do this now, we can do this now." Ido walked into the living room and opened one of the drawers, pulling something out from it and concealing it in his hand. He walked back, his face set in stone, his movements quick and precise. Seeing Ido come at her with so much intent, and suspecting what might be in his hand, she fled before he could reach her. Dodging his grasp, she ran to the other side of the coffee table, opposite of Ido.

   "That's the thing that made me weak, isn't it?" Alita pointed at his hand with disgust.

   "It is, yes. But you can't expect me to discipline a cyborg five times my own strength. I promise I will take it off of you the moment your punishment is over."

   "I don't want to be punished at all!"

   "Nobody wants to be punished Alita. But sometimes we must do things we don't want to." He moved around the table but she moved in the opposite direction, causing him to stop and go the other way. Ido sighed, putting two fingers on the bridge of his nose and pinching slightly. "It's two in the morning sweetheart, let's get what needs to be done over with."

   "Nothing needs to be done, I haven't done anything wrong!"

   "Haven't done anything wrong?" Ido raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You ran off in the night without me, you could have been hurt Alita!"

   "I can take care of myself, Ido! I don't need you to protect me." Her face was set in a frown, her hands balled in tight fists.

   "I know you are strong, but the body I gave you isn't. You can't go around fighting and taking needless risks. If you break that body I don't have a replacement for you."

   Alita's look softened slightly as she realized his point. But she was still angry at him for telling her she couldn't be a hunter warrior so she fixed him with a glare. "Then I'll find a new body!"

   "I won't put you in a new body if you'll just destroy that one too."

   "Why not!?"

   "Because you must learn not to be reckless, dear. That's what I'm trying to teach you now." He put his hands on his hips, looking very much like the disapproving father he was trying not to be.

   "Fine, I won't be reckless." She looked away now, too upset to look him in the eyes and see the disappointment all over his face.

   "That's very good to hear." His voice was closer now and she whipped her head around just in time to see him lunge forward, trapping her with his own arm as he expertly placed the device on her neck just between her shoulder blades. Alita yelled and fought his hold, breaking away in a heated rage.

   "No! Get it off of me!" She tried to reach behind and grab it but the stupid thing was placed in such a way that she couldn't possibly reach it no matter how she tried. "It's not fair!" She kicked the coffee table in frustration, picking up a cushion from the couch and throwing it at Ido. It bounced off of his face but he made no movement to stop it, instead furrowing his eyebrows at her.

   "That's enough, Alita." He reached forward and grabbed her by the forearm, pulling her around and marching her to the corner. "You will stay here until the timer goes off, do you understand?"

   Alita glared at the floor, her arms crossed as she glowered angrilly.

   "I need an answer 'Lita." When she again ignored him, he sighed and stood up to his full height. "If you don't answer me I'm going to swat you." His voice was all business now, brooking no room for argument. Alita shifted her weight from foot to foot but moved her head away from him, her shoulders lifting up with tension. Ido grabbed her arm again, moving her sideways before she spun around, shielding her backside from him.

   "Yes, I understand!"

   Ido was taken aback by her sudden compliance but was happy to see she understood his warning. "Good. I'm going to set the timer, and when I get back I expect to see your nose in that corner." He pointed to the spot for good measure.

   He felt unsure about leaving her there for the short trip to the kitchen, but she'd responded to his threat of being swatted and was being compliant so he had hope that she would listen. When he returned with the timer, he found to his surprised delight that she'd done exactly what he'd asked of her and was still standing in the corner. Not that any of this made him happy, but he was happy to see she may be learning and was at least trying.

   "I am going to set the timer for twenty minutes, Alita. If you leave the corner or do anything you're not suppose to, I will add more to your time." He put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft little squeeze, feeling some of the nervousness leak out of her at the warm touch. "Ok, sweetheart?"

   She gave a curt nod and very softly mumbled "ok," but it was enough that he knew she understood.

   "I will be in the clinic, I need to finish some work for the night." He set the timer down on the coffee table behind her, but it was close enough that she could turn around and see it to check how long she had. It felt like an eternity, just standing there waiting for nothing, but she entertained herself with the pattern on the wall, tracing her finger over it boredly. When Ido came back to check on her, he found her slumped over with her forehead leaned up against the wall, her hand moving across the wall in a way like she was drawing.

   The timer went off a few seconds later and she sat up, turning around to see Ido pick up the timer and turn it off. "Can I go to sleep now?" she asked, her eyes tired.

   "Not quite. We still need to talk about what happened." Ido motioned for the couch so she walked over and threw herself down onto the cushion, her frustration clear but defiance gone. The doctor stood above her, looking as though he wasn't quite sure how to proceed. He decided on the lounge chair beside her, moving it so it was facing her more directly. "Where did you go tonight?"

   Alita looked away, not wanting to get in even more trouble than she was already in. "I met up with Hugo."

   "He didn't hurt you, did he?" Concern was clear in his voice. "Did he make you do anything you didn't want to?" Alita shook her head, still avoiding his eyes. "There's something more you're not telling me."

   "He took me out to a show."

   "Oh? What show?" He could tell she was lying, that it wasn’t the whole truth, but he wanted her to tell him herself instead of finding out on his own.

   There was a long pause before she mumbled a low "Motorball."

"   He took you to see motorball? Alita, that sport is so dangerous. I don't want you spending time with him anymore."

   Her head whipped up at that, her eyes angry as they bore into his. "You can't stop me from seeing him! I wanted to go, it was my choice!"

   "So you went to a motorball game after I told you to stay away from it?"

   Suddenly realizing what hole she'd dug herself into, she looked away again, her face scrunched up in annoyance. "What does it matter, I don't see what the big deal is."

   "The big deal is that you have no regard for your own safety and refuse to listen to me when I tell you no." Ido took in a deep breath, trying to steel himself for the next part. "Obviously grounding you didn't work. So I'm going to spank you."

   Alita snapped back to attention, sitting up straight now. "No, Ido, I won't do it again." Panic was clear in her voice as she gave him her best puppy dog eyes.

   "I plan to make sure you don't." The look she was giving him made his heart hurt but he thought back to the panic he felt at losing her on the street and found his resolve. He had to make it clear that this behavior was unacceptable, for her own sake.

   "I won't let you!" She started to move back on the couch, flipping her legs up to stand up on the cushions above him.

   "Calm down, sweetheart, please." Ido stood up too, holding his hands out to catch her before she fell. She only walked across the couch, further away from him with the sass and confidence capable only of a teenage cyborg.

   "I am calm!" She shouted back.

   "Obviously not." His look was enough to give her pause, but the anxiety in her chest kept building whenever she thought of what Ido had said. "I promise we will go slow, dear, but you must face your consequences."

   Alita felt the anxiety grow in her chest again, her heart beating fast as he explained what had to happen. She was so lost in her own head that she didn't see him reach out to grab her arm, too late to escape as he hauled her over his shoulder. "What are you doing?" She didn't understand any of this, or what a spanking really even was. Just that she'd felt a moment of it only days before and had hated it. He sat down on the couch where she’d been standing and set her down gently to stand in between his legs.

   Ido held her at arms length in front of him, his eyes speaking volumes of the disapproval he felt. "Listen to me, angel. You knew better than to run off tonight and stay out so late. You shouldn't have gone to the motorball game and left me to worry about where you were. For that I am giving you twenty smacks." He honestly had no idea how a spanking would effect a cyborg, or if it would even work, but he figured twenty was enough to teach her the lesson he was trying so hard to get across, whether she felt it or not.

   "You're going to hit me twenty times? No!" Alita renewed her struggles, trying desperately to get away from the crazy man but he had a firm grip on both of her arms and a grim look on his face. "Let go of me!"

   "Stop it Alita, that's enough." His voice was icy with resolve as he hauled the squirming teen across his lap, securing her with a heavy hand on the small of her back. She kicked and yelled, trying in vain to throw her body back against his hold but without her normal power it was like fighting a brick wall. She struggled and bucked her body for a good few minutes before finally settling, breathing heavy with the effort. Ido made a comforting shushing noise at her, his hand rubbing gently on her back. To her surprise it actually felt very soothing, made her feel calm and like she was safe.

   A long moment passed until she finally spoke. "I don't want a spanking, Ido," she confessed quietly into his knee.

   Ido chuckled softly but continued his reassuring gesture. "I know you don't sweetheart. I don't want to spank you either."

   The teen huffed in response. "Then why are you trying to?"

   "Because I care too much about you to see you kill yourself out there simply because I couldn’t teach you better." He readjusted her on his lap, pulling her in closer to his hips so she was better balanced. It almost surprised him, how tiny she felt tucked across his knees. For all her fight and talk, there was nothing of her; such a big mind stuck in such a small body. "Now then, are you comfortable?" He heard what must have been a muffled snort and decided now was as good as any to start.

   He looked down at her and tried to remember why he was doing this, why he had to follow through and tried to focus on the warmth of her back against his hand. If he didn’t do this now he may never see her again, she could go running off at night and get herself killed. All he had to think about was the idea of finding her lifeless body in the street, destroyed from a fight she’d been unprepared for, and his heart clenched tightly. The idea made him want to never let her outside again, but he had to teach her this difficult lesson whether he wanted to or not. With a heavy heart, Ido lifted his hand and brought it down quickly against Alita’s backside.

   She didn’t make a sound and he wondered if she’d felt it at all before he heard her gasp in surprise. “Ah, that hurt!” It was a little delayed but he figured it was from the shock of being spanked for the first time. He lifted his hand again and brought it down slightly lower on her backside, receiving a much more immediate response this time. “Stop, it hurts!” Ido swallowed hard and lifted his hand once more, hesitating for a split second before bringing it down on the top of her thighs. “Ido!” Alita shouted his name with hurt in her voice, her body twisting in an attempt to get away.

   When she felt him lift his hand again she threw her hands back to cover her backside, her legs bending defensively to help cover herself. “Move your hands please.” When she made no move to do as he’d asked, he instead grabbed both of her wrists in one hand, pinning them to her back. It wasn’t the loss of movement so much as the loss of his comforting touch on her back that she was upset about. He tried to push her legs down but she brought them back up immediately in defiance. “Do I need to restrain your legs too?” A quick heartbeat later and Alita threw her legs down in an attempt to kick the floor but was too short to do so. This only frustrated her further and she kicked her legs as hard as she could, trying in vain to find the floor but only flailing as her legs were too short.

   She didn’t understand why but somehow this made her feel like a child, and she’d never felt that way before. It scared her, this new strange feeling, and she couldn’t quite identify what else she felt but she certainly didn’t like it. Alita was jerked out of her thoughts by two sharp slaps to the center of her arse and yelped in surprise. It hurt so much more when it was done in quick succession, but even more so, this feeling growing inside was making her throat feel tight. “I don’t like this Ido, please stop!”

   “I know my dear, I don’t like it either.”

   “Then stop!” She tried to rip her arms free but received another swat instead.

   “You’ve got 14 left I’m afraid.”

   Alita kicked her legs back and groaned, “That’s so many!”

   Ido caught her leg as it almost made contact with his jaw, lowering it gently. “Alita you can’t keep kicking like that.”

   Feeling a rush of anger, she bucked her hips and flung her legs in her best attempt to get free, not caring what he said.

   In a sudden movement Ido moved her down and lifted his leg over hers, effectively trapping them in between his own. She was now stuck over just his one knee, her backside lifted up more at the awkward angle and her front lower to the floor. “No, I won’t kick!”

   The good doctor let go of her wrists, instead wrapping an arm around her waist. “I know you won’t.”

   Alita would have argued but she was too happy to have her hands back to fight about it now. She was able to reach the floor now, with the top half of her body hanging off of his knee so she planted her hands firmly on the floor to hold herself up. At least this was slightly more dignified than just laying there. Another swat landed on her unaware backside and she grunted but held her mouth shut stubbornly.

   “Alita, do you know why I am spanking you?”

   She stared at the floor, boring a hole into the carpet with the intensity of her glare. A long, tense moment passed before Ido lifted his hand again, his jaw tight and mind set.

   “I will add more if you don’t answer me dear.”

   Alita’s hands clenched into fists and her shoulders tensed in anger, her mouth staying resolutely shut.

   Ido sighed softly and lowered his hand to rest on her hip, moving her forward and throwing her even more off balance. The sudden change in position made it uncomfortable to hold herself there so she let her arms rest, instead lowering herself to rest on her elbows though they could barely reach. Pain abruptly spread across her upper thighs and the teen yelped by accident, throwing a hand across her mouth in frustration. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of a reaction, not while she was so angry with him.

   She lived by her rules, not his, and she wasn’t going down without a fight, of that she was sure. But when the second smack landed in the same place as the last, she found it difficult to not make a noise as the pain doubled. A third and then a fourth landed in quick succession and her back arched with the inner restraint. When the fifth landed on the same spot she struggled again, letting out a pained gasp as she wrapped her arms around Ido’s thigh and calf for support. “Should I make it 25?,” Ido warned.

   Alita felt her throat clench tightly as this feeling seemed to bubble up inside her, fighting back and forth in her head about whether she should shout or stay silent. “No!” The louder voice won over. “I hate this!” Her grip tightened as she took in a deep breath, interrupted by a smack that seemed twice as powerful as the last. Her breath wavered and she could feel the tears forming in her eyes, closing them tightly in an attempt to keep them at bay.

   “I will add more to your punishment until you answer me.”

   Alita couldn’t handle this battle of wills and felt the frustration and anger take over, the buzz of anger flowing through her limbs. She bucked and struggled, throwing her body as hard as she could against his hold. The teen tried to reach out, to find something she could use as leverage, but could only reach the book sitting on the coffee table. She almost had it in her grasp but Ido thankfully saw it before her and picked it up, placing it behind her where she couldn’t reach it. “This isn’t fair!” She slammed her fists down on the floor for emphasis, her voice cracking as she tried to keep the tears in.

   “I’m sorry angel, I can’t have you throwing books around the living room.”

   “Why not?!” She knew her response was stupid even before it left her mouth but she just couldn’t seem to think clearly right now no matter how hard she tried.

   “Because throwing a tantrum is only going to get you into even more trouble right now.” His answer was so resolute, so final that she felt absolutely trapped now. There was no way for her to win this and the thought alone made the tightness in her chest even worse. A broken sob escaped her lips but she snapped her mouth shut before the tears came, determined to stay silent. Ido rubbed her back gently again, realizing she was on the verge of tears. He hated that it was his fault she was going to cry but knew that if he stopped now she would never listen to him and probably get herself killed in the long run. “There is no shame in crying sweetheart.”

   Alita tensed again, her bionic muscles going stiff as she forced the tears to stay in. “I’m not crying!”

   Ido gave her a sympathetic look and used his position to maneuver her back, sliding her upper half onto the couch so she had a place to rest her head. “There you go dear.” Alita was grateful for the change in position but didn’t answer, instead grabbing a pillow and burying her face in her arms, holding the pillow on top as a way to hide herself. “Alita, talk to me. I need to know that you understand why you are being punished.” He picked up the pillow, causing the young cyborg to grunt heavily and throw a fist down onto the couch.

   “I don’t want to talk to you,” she mumbled.

   “This won’t be over until you do, and you’ve only got seven left.” When he was met with only her angry silence, Ido thought of a different tactic. “Maybe if you’re very good I will give you chocolate when this is over. Does that sound fair?”

   There was a long pause before Alita moved, raising her head a bit and shifting her shoulders up. “Fine.”

   “But that means you need to answer me. Do you know why I’m upset with you and why you’re being punished?”

   The cyborg gave an exasperated sigh, obviously tired of being in her current position. “Because I broke the rules?”

   “Partly. I want you to think of the rest before we’re done Alita.” A resounding smack shot through the room and she yelped in surprise, not even realizing he’d lifted his hand in the first place. She tried to focus on what he’d said but she felt the ache in her chest and throat again and it was hard to ignore. He brought his hand down again but this time it felt like he was using twice the strength and she felt her body move forward with the impact.

   “Not so hard!” she whined, her voice cracking as she tried to pull herself forward. Ido grabbed ahold of the back of her pants, pulling her back into position easily. “I don’t-” she cut herself off as she felt the sob threatening to leave her throat, determined still to be strong. She tried to clear her throat but found the tightness spreading, getting stronger the harder she tried to keep it down. Another sharp slap, this time aimed at her sit spots, tore the sob from her throat and unleashed the flood gates even as she tried to keep it in. Her shoulders shook now with the intensity of her emotion, the stress pouring out with each cry.

   “I am proud of you Alita.”

   “I’m weak,” she cried, unable to make herself stop. Without warning another slap landed on her thighs and she cried harder.

   “You are not weak,” he scolded. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, you are showing remorse.”

   Alita sniveled as she pulled her arms in under her in a subconscious attempt to feel more secure. She did feel bad about leaving Ido there on the street, knowing he was worried sick about her while she enjoyed the motorball game. But it was so hard to apologize while she could barely catch her breath, she just wanted this to be over done with. “I’m sorry!” she forced out in a broken voice.

   “I know my dear. We are almost done, just four left.” He hated this part, when it was nearly finished but not quite. The part where whoever he was correcting was in the most turmoil, either emotionally or physically as the entire ordeal was draining on both. He landed another quick slap to center of her backside, hoping to the gods that he hadn’t overcalculated how many slaps were appropriate for her misbehavior. He rubbed her back in small circles while her shoulders shook, her body tensing with the inner battle she was facing. “Do you have an answer for me angel?”

   Alita rubbed at her eyes briefly before burying her face further into the couch like an ostridge trying to hide its head. “Making you worry,” she spat out. “Being reckless.”

   “Anything else?” He landed a hard smack to her left side now and she went rigid.

   “Being reckless,” she shouted.

   “And?” His hand fell on the right side now and he noticed her jump.

   “Not listening!”

   “Yes. One left.” He could hear the words forming on her mouth before she could mutter them but he landed the final smack before she could protest. Just as he'd promised, the moment it was over he took off the device he'd put on her kneck and she shuttered as her body returned to normal. She was completely spent, lying over his lap crying now, and he wasted no time in comforting her. He rubbed her back and shoulders with a gentle touch, letting her know it was over. He hated doing this, every single time, and would probably never get used to it but he loved her too much to let her risk her life. Cared too much to let her die and he would always make sure she knew that. For now he could only guide and teach the best he could and hope that she would learn her hard lessons and grow from it.

   He let her lay there for a bit, rubbing his hands over her shoulders and back soothingly, until he eventually pulled her upright to sit on his lap so he could comfort her properly. She tried to cover her face with her arms but he pulled her in for a hug, taking her off guard somewhat. “I’m sorry Ido,” she cried.

   “I know you are angel,” he soothed, his hand on the back of her head in a protective gesture. “I forgive you.”

   It still felt weird to her, to be forgiven after a punishment, but in a strange way she found she actually wanted that. She relished in the idea of being cleansed of her guilt, in knowing that when she apologized she would actually be forgiven. She had hated every second of it, but this right now, she loved. She soaked up the warmth, the love, the forgiveness, and found that she was suddenly exhausted. Right now she felt safer than she ever had and found that she was fighting off the sudden and insistent urge to fall asleep in Ido’s arms while she was so comfortably wrapped up.

   They stayed that way for a while, both comfortable and appreciative of the moment of peace it offered. It wasn’t until Ido found himself nodding off a bit that he decided to take her upstairs, realizing she had fallen soundly asleep in his embrace. Being an experienced father, he easily carried her up to her bed without waking her, and tucked her in for the night. Keeping to his word, he left a bar of chocolate on her nightstand next to her bed, knowing she would be overjoyed to wake up and find it beside her. He pulled the blankets up to her neck, kissing her forehead lovingly and hoped she wouldn't hate him too much when she woke up tomorrow morning.


End file.
